Trousers



L. MARKiN June `22, 1948.

TROUSERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Apil 8, 1944 L. MARKIN June 22,v 1948.

TROUSERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fild April 8, 1944 INVENTOR.

Patented June 22, 1948 lUNITED S TATES PATENT OFFICE 2,444,020 "TROUSERS Louis Manns, chicago, 111., assignor to Alfred Decker & Chn, Inc., Chicago, Ill., alcorzporae Application 'April s, 1944, `serial 'No.t'ads 'This invention relates to trousers, and the principal `:object of the invention is to provide trousers with adjustable means whereby the "waistband may Vbe adjusted within. a sufficient range so that a pair of trousers may be instantly adjusted tof't the waistband of the wearer without "disturbing or affecting the fit of the :front "part of the trousers, and whereby within a r'e- "stric'ted range of adjustment it is unnecessary ltfotalei'n'or l'et out the trousers.

Another object of 'the invention resides in providing a pair of 'trousers with built-in means for adjusting the waistband of the trousers within limited range of adjustment so that a particular length or sizeof trousers may be kept in stock bythe retailer and yet can be instantly `adjusted td't a limited range of waistbands for that particular length or style, without any "takein or let out, and without disturbing thenormal t or ap- Dearanccof the trousers.

Yet another object ofthe invention resides in 4jcrrovidinga pair 0f trousers 0r theelike with a "builtein `'waistband 1adjusti'nent disposed 'at the ba'ck seam and arranged in such a Way that "the upper portion of theback seam, for a sucient J"distance from the top down, comprises free, "ove'rlapping trouser vflaps that are not stitched toeethe'r, and which pivot 'from a point spaced downwardly from the top of the back seam 4r-iivherei'ri each part includes a portion of an ad- ".'iusta'b-le Ifastener means which when interconn'eted may be adjusted, one relatively to Vthe other, :whereby to adjust the "waistband Within' 'reasonable limits `of adjustment without the necesls'ty of permanently taking in or letting out Vitl-fe Twaistband, and whereby the normal appearncel-and iit of the trousers is undisturbed.

Yet another object of the invention is toprovidea waistbandconstruction for a pair of trousers having means for adjusting the size yof the waistband f "die trousers within a sufscient frange of adjustment, `the adjustment being located so that the normal fit fand -Tappea'raince'f the trousers is not disturbed, but whereby the adjustment may be used incplace of a belt or -for a`1terimgI the size of thewaistband of the trousers, as 'inthe case'where aman takes on weight difidses weight, and 'which adjustment is not visi'ble W-hen the coat is taken off, and which ad- #justment does not entail the necessity `(if-.cutting *the trousers in any different way from the cutof "a=standard pair of trousers, and which-adjustf-fm'ent will Iprovide at least a Variation f "two inches, more or less, in the size of the waistband, l

L2 land without disturbing the 4normal appearance orlt 'of the trousers.

uFurther objects of the invention will l be-1app2rrh ent from ka perusal of the follow-ing speciicatifon when taken Cin connection with the Aacctnn'pianfying drawing, wherein:

Figure lis 'aperspective view of a pairiof tr'ousers, :being taken fromitner'earftoishowrtne waist; bia-nd adjusting means;

Fi'gurefz is an:enlaredtperspective view of the adjustment portion oftne trousers;

Figture bis a '-view -fpartly in section showing fan adjusted lposition oT `the v*trousers shown `in EigureiZi l 4 "Figure '4 lvis a viewshowing fthe ltwo .aps of :the adjusting meansoffthe Atrousers1in .dp'enpositiom "Figure y5 is Ianother viewshowing the trousers *cut away to *show fthe-interior'construction `of the nadjusting fm'eans;

Figure '6 is a sectional '--view taken on v.the aline 36-5 of'liligurei;

Figure?? is an enlarged fragmentary "vi'ewin Vperspective showing'thedetau of the mounting fand construction of rtue raSteningfmeanS;

Figure'ls l'aview'partly -in section on the line infFigure 7;Sand

fFigur'e 9 vis `a View partly in y'section on the `line a4-s in Figures. p

Referring :new to the drawings andthe invention detail, theinventi'onin general comprises lm'eans for providinganaiijustment to a'pairof 'trousers whereby itris not rnecessary for retail "storestokeep so -m'any different sizes of 'trousers `Jon hand. 'At `the present Stime, in lretai-l stores, fthertail'er buys suits with differencesin waist "and-,chest sizes offour, iivel and fsix inches. The present-invention resides in the construction of -a pair of tno'usersbuilt along theiines'of thepresent construction of trouserarbut arranged vso that the w-aistband :may `b'e immediately :adjusted Tor la variation inwaistband of two inches, more or 'lessfan'di without disturbingv the fit or i appearance 4of the trousers, lwherebyna retailer is enabled to l'rnirchase 'a'muc'h smaller fnumber futrousers o'f fdiierent -waistband sizes for any particular Jsize lof chest, "or of any particular length and style. IB'y 'this means :ne cuts .down 'considerably the amount of "capital invested insto'ck on hand.

Furthermore, theretailer also eliminatesacon- 4fsiderable amount 4of expense notonly tofhisfcus- --tomersfbut also'n'repair men and tailors otherwise 'required -for `altering `waistband sizes, and whereby also-the1pub1ic are given better service Myin Athat thestock on Y'hand f'inay nbersold instantly, @ready *for iwear, rwithut the delay occasioned rby .point to the top of the waistband, thereby providing two free flaps 6 and 8. In Figure 4 one of the folded back portions Ill on one side of the seam is folded back and stitched beneath the waistband lining l2. Preferably directly at the waistband seam I4 the free flap 8 is provided with one member of a flexible fastening device which comprises an elongated flexiblek track member I6 having" transversely of its length a rplurality of spaced apart transverse bars or stops I8, each forming one part of a. locking device. The track member I6 is permanently carried upon a flexible, preferably rectangular, elongated piece or tape or fabric 20, which in the preferred form is sewed by lines of stitching 22 and 23 directly into the waistband seam. This is shown in Figure 6. One end of the flexible track member I6 terminates in a tapered or narrower end, as at 26, and the opposite end is provided with a head 2l. The other flap 6 at the rear of the waistband is provided with acomplementary 'fastening member comprising a shank28 sewed into the waistband seam. This shank has a, projecting fastener part 30 which is provided with a shiftable clamping jaw 32 pivotally mounted as at 34 to the portion 30 and shiftable by means oi a lever 36, the lever havingtwo positions, as shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9, one shown in dotted lines and another shown in solid lines, wherein the lever is swung to open position to release the clamping member. When the clamping member is swung to a flat position, as shown in dotted lines, the clamping latch is eccentrically thrown inwardly to clamp against and engage between the particular cross bars I8 of the tape 29 whereby to grip it and hold the parts from longitudinal sliding movement. When the lever 36 is swung to open position as shown in solid lines, then the slide portion 30 may slide longitudinally of the track to any adjustable position. 'Ihe head 2l constitutes a stop which limits the sliding movement in one direction. When the lever 3S is swung to open position the slide member 39 may slide free lfrom the tapered end so that that the ilaps may then be opened, as shown in Figure 4. Any type of fastening member may be used, but I prefer to use the fastening means shown in the patent to Statham, 1,887,825, of November 15, 1932, or as shown in Re. 19,356, of October 30, 1934:, to the same patentee.

half inches long, one of said ilaps overlying the other end and the arrangement being such that the slide member 30 can lie in any adjusted position along the length of the track to provide different adjustments for the size of the waistband,

it being understood that the two flaps will relatively pivot at the point 4 which comprises the- 4 end of the stitching of the back seam of the trousers. It will be appreciated that the only portion of the adjusting mechanism that is visible comprises a portion of the slide, the lever 36, and that portion of the track which projects beyond the edge of the overlying flap 6. The inner end of the lever 38 is provided with a lower or track engaging portion like the toe 35 of the patent to Statham 1,887,825, see Figure 9, which toe is 4adapted to engage between transversely spaced bar-like stops like the stop 60 of Figure 8 of said patent. The member corresponding to the toe 35 is operated by shifting the lever 36 which pivots about the ,pins 34 on the slide 30, see Figure 6 0f the instant application.

The "advantages of the present construction are many. First, any limited range of adjustment of the waistband is provided for, thereby eliminating the necessity of a tailored intake or let-out of the waistband, and whereby fewer trousers need be kept on hand. The adjustment mechanism may be utilized in place of a belt. The device may be utilized by the wearer after he has purchased the trousers to let out or take in the size of the waistbandto` accommodate changes in size after purchase; and all of these advantages are inherent without any other changes in construction or detail of any ordinary pair of trousers and Without affecting the appearance or ilt of the trousers` Infact, the appearance of the trousers is greatly enhanced, first because no buckles or straps are needed, and secondly because no belt is needed. f

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A pair of trousers having the usual rear seam free from stitching from a point suiiciently below the top of the waistbanddownwardly to provide a pair of overlapping aps which pivot at the top of the rear seam of the trousers, one of said flaps Carrying on its outer facing flexible tape provided with a series of spaced apart, transversely extending, bar-like members, said tape being sewn directly into the seam of the waistband and showing only the bar-like members through said waistband, one end of the tape having its ends tapered or converging inwardly and the opposite end of the tape including a stop, the other of said ilaps including a slide adapted to enter upon that end of the tape having converging Walls and to slide along said track, said slide carrying an actuating device pivotally mounted thereon and including a toe adapted to enter between any two spaced stops of the track to limit sliding movement of a slider along the track and thereby to adjust the relative positions of the flaps.

LOUIS MARKIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the lile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 188,787 Woodward et al. Oct. 31, 1876 511,797 Rachelman Jan. 2, 1894 622,622 Harlan Apr. 4, 1899 700,747 Davis May 27, 1902 1,092,374 Margolis Apr. 7, 1914 1,826,803 Lubell Oct. 13, 1931 1,887,825 Statham Nov. 15, 1932 1,965,315 Mainzer July 3, 1934 

